The present invention relates to an electronic key for an automotive vehicle. More particularly, it relates to an intelligent key, called a xe2x80x9csmart keyxe2x80x9d that does not require a blade to control the locking/unlocking of the openings of a vehicle.
The doors of a vehicle are constituted by all the movable portions permitting access to the interior of the vehicle or beneath its hood. Thus, it can as well relate to the doors of a vehicle, the trunk, the convertible top, the hood, the windows etc., . . .
It is already known to provide a vehicle with a remote control device for its openings. This can be devices (electronic key) emitting infrared or waves of any other nature to give a remote opening or closing order.
Such electronic keys require no coaction between a blade and a lock to operate. The vehicle could even be free from any mechanical lock. However, for reasons of certainty of operation, it is necessary to provide a mechanical access means to be used in the case in which the electronic key fails to function.
To this end, it is known to provide electronic keys with an emergency insert constituted by a conventional mechanical blade. In case of malfunction of the electronic card, this emergency blade can be used to permit the opening of an opening.
It is already known to slide this emergency insert into the electronic key itself and to render it withdrawable by providing indentations in this key. Thus, it suffices to withdraw the emergency insert from the electronic card to open one""s vehicle. Nevertheless, to permit good gripping of the insert by the hand, there are presently provided overmoldings of the portion of this insert adapted to be held by the user such that the latter can easily hold it in the hand and can turn it about its longitudinal axis to effect the opening of a door (for example).
The provision of these overmoldings is difficult and increases the volume of the insert.
This insert is generally made of metal (but not exclusively) and has a narrow width. For certain users, this width is insufficient to be able correctly to apply tortion and to rotate the insert about its longitudinal axis.
The object of the present invention is to use an insert without overmolding (to decrease the cost of manufacture and the size), whilst giving the user a sufficient bearing surface that he can apply torsion permitting rotating the insert about its longitudinal axis.
To this end, the present invention relates to an electronic key for an automotive vehicle, said key being of generally flat parallepipedal shape and comprising:
a housing for an electronic card, said card being adapted to control electronically a locking/unlocking device on board the vehicle and permitting the locking/unlocking of the openings of the vehicle, and
an insert compartment housing an emergency insert adapted to lock/unlock mechanically the openings of a vehicle in the case of malfunction of the electronic card,
said electronic key being characterized in that the insert is constituted solely of a key blade and is provided with recesses suitable to coact with retaining means provided in the insert compartment firmly to hold the insert in the compartment no matter what its position.
Preferably, the insert compartment is provided in or on the edge of the electronic housing such that the electronic housing constitutes a bearing surface for the fingers of a user adapted to permit the application of torsion to the insert so as easily to rotate it about its longitudinal axis when the insert is in active position.
There is thus provided a simple means for rotating the insert which does not increase the size of the latter and which does not require the provision of overmolding, by cleverly using the electronic key itself to rotate the insert.